Dispensing spool of adhesive tape and supporting enclosure therefor



Aug. 4, 1953 2,647,700

H. LATHROP DISPENSING SPOOL OF ADHES TAPE AND SUPPORTI ENCLOSURE H REFORFi July 12, 1951 Ticz 5.

r INVENTOR.

. L I HARVEY LAT/{BOP Patented Aug. 4, 1953 DISPENSING SPOOL OF ADHESIVETAPE AND SUPPORTING ENCLOSURE THEREFOR Harvey Lathrop, Forest Hills, N.Y. Application July 12, 1951, Serial No. 236,354

Claims.

My present invention relates generally to desk accessories, and hasparticular reference to an ornamental device for supporting one or moredispensing spools of adhesive tape.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide an enclosure for adispensing spool of conventional construction, in which there is a hubupon which the tape is wound, and a tangential projection to support thefree end of the tape. The present enclosure is so designed that it maybe optionally rested on a desk or table in a position which completelyconceals the spool of tape, or in an adjusted position in which thespool is exposed and accessible for use.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention herein chosen forillustration, the device is adapted to support two spools of tape inside by side aligned relationship. The spools are supported on a commonhorizontal axis, and are freely and independently rotatable about thisaxis. Tape may be withdrawn from either or both of these spools when thedevice is in tapedispensing position.

The supporting enclosure is. of such a nature that it lends itselfreadily to the employment of ornamental materials, such as attractiveleathers or fabrics. It serves, therefore, in a uniquely attractivemanner, to retain one or more tape spools in handy accessible condition,ready for use, while serving as a concealment for the spool or spools,and as an ornamental desk accessory, during those periods of time whenthe tape spools are not being used.

One way of achieving these general objects and advantages, and suchother objects and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointedout, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the present device in its normal desk-ornamentingposition;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 22of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View similar to Figure 2, showing the relationship of theparts when the enclosure is adjusted to a position which makes the tapedispenser accessible;

Figure 4 is an elevational view taken substantially in the direction 4-4of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is afragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially alongthe line 5-5 of Figure 4, with the tape spools omitted.

The type of dispensing spool which enters into the present assembly ofparts consists essentially of a cylindrical hollow hub l0 upon which thetape H is wound. At its ends, the hub is usually provided with flanges[2 (Fig.4). These flanges may be extended in a tangential direction toprovide the spaced ears l3. .At the free ends of the latter, a crosspiece It serves to connect and rigidify the cars It, and serves also tosupport the free end i5 of the tape. It is customary to form the outeredge of the piece M. with serrations so that after any desiredlength oftape has been pulled off the spool, it may be severed along thisserrated edge.

The ears I 3 and the piece M which connect them project in asubstantially tangential direction with respect to the hub of the spool,and impart to the spool a weight eccentricity which is taken advantageof in a unique manner by the present invention.

The supporting enclosure of the present invention consists essentiallyof a pair of parallel vertical walls, and transverse walls extendingbetween them. The two vertical walls are shown at it and I1. Supportedby them is a means for mounting the tape spool or spools in a freelyrotatable manner. This mounting means may consist of a simple wooden hubis adapted to fit loosely into the hub of each tape spool. This loosefit is shown in a somewhat exaggerated manner in Figures 2 and 3. Thehub 18 itself is provided with a longitudinal bore adapted to receive arod I9 (Fig. 5). To provide for a removability of the hub or spindle I8, the rod is may be provided with a head 20 at one end, and threads 2|at the opposite end, adapted removably to receive a nut 22.

In the preferred embodiment herein illustrated there are two tapespools. These are designated generally by the reference numerals 23 and2 1 in Figure 4. The construction of each spool is the same as has beenhereinbefore described, and the only diiference in the spoolsillustrated in Figure 4 is that the spool 23 supports a tape which isslightly wider than that which is supported by the spool 24. Toaccommodate two spools of this kind in side by side horizontally alignedrelation, it is preferable to form the spindle is with the flange 25.The part of the spindle on one side of this flange fits into the hollowhub of one of the spools, and the part on the opposite side of theflange fits into the hub of the other spool. The flange 25 is larger indiameter than the hub of either spool, and thus serves to maintainspools in a desired spaced relationship.

The transverse walls which connect the parallel side walls It, i lcomprise an end wall 23 which is substantially flat,"and a wall 21 whichhas a part that is parallel 'to the open side of the en closure andanother part which is convexly curved downwardly into a positiondefining an opposite end wall. The transverse walls 36, El, along withthe parallel side walls iii, if define an enclosure which is closed onall sides but one. The open side is shown downward in Figure 2 and in anupright position in Figures 3 and This open side lies substantially in asingle plane, so that the enclosure may be rested thereon (as shown inFig. 2). In this relationship of the parts, the spool or spools withinthe enclosure are completely concealed. The flatness of the transversewall 25 adjacent to the open side of the enclosure permits the enclosureto be optionally rested on the fiat wall 25, as shown most clearly inFigure 3; and in this relationship of the parts the spool or spools areexposed and readily ac cessible.

It is an important feature of the invention'to support the spool withits tangential projection downward, and facing away from the flat endwall 25 when the enclosure is in the spool concealing position shown inFigure 2. As a result of this mode of mounting the spool, theeccentricity of weight automatically causes the spool to remain insubstantially the same position regardless of the disposition of thesupporting enclosure.

Thus, it will be observed, by comparing Figures 2 and 3, that theenclosure of Figure 3 is substantially at right angles to the positionit pre viously assumed; nevertheless, the spool shown in these figuresremains in substantially the same relationship. It follows that whereasthe spool is completely concealed when the parts are in the relationshipshown in Figure 2, the tangential projection of the spool automaticallyprotrudes from the open side of the enclosure when the latter isadjusted into the upright position shown in Figure 3. Where there aretwo spools, as shown in the present drawings, the spools act in"dependently to project their respective tape ends automatically out ofthe open side of the en closure when the latter is tilted from theposition of Figures 1 and to the position of Figures 3 and 4:.

The parts are preferably so proportioned, and the axis of the spools isso supported with respect to in the relationship shown in Figures 1 and2, the bottom edges 28 of each spool lie substantially in the plane ofthe open side of the enclosure; and when the parts are in therelationship shown in Figure 3, the rear end 29 of the spool constitutesan abutment that abuts rearwardly against the transverse wall 21.

It will he understood that the curvature of the transverse wall 27, asshown in the present drawings, is not essential, and that the curvatureillustrated is merely for ornamental effect. Similarly, while I haveshown a simple nut 22 on the rod it, it will be obvious that this nutmay be of ornamental configuration, if desired.

The device is obviously useful with one dispensing tape alone, or mayreadily be adapted to support more than the two tapes shown in thepresent drawing.

The enclosure may obviously be composed of any desired or suitablematerial, and I have found it eminently satisfactory to make theenclosure of wood or cardboard, covered with ornamental leather.

The replacement of the spool or spools, when the supply of tape isexhausted, is a relatively simple procedure and involves merely theremoval of the spindle which supports the spool, and a replacement ofthe same after a fresh spool has been applied to it.

the enclosure, that when the parts are In general, it will be understoodthat those skilled in the art may readily modify many of the detailsherein described and illustrated without necessarily departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination with a dispensing spool of adhesive tape comprising ahub and a tangential projection eccentric to the hub to support the freeend of the tape, of a supporting enclosure comprising a pair of parallelvertical walls, means carried by said walls for engaging the spool hubto support the latter in a horizontal disposition and for transversewalls extending between said vertical walls to form an enclosure closedon all sides but one, the open side lying in a single plane so that theenclosure'may be rested thereon to conceal said spool, the transversewall adjacent to said open side being fiat so that the enclosure may beoptionally rested on said flat wall to bring the open side into uprightposition and thereby expose and afford access to said spool, said spoolbeing supported with its tangential projection downward and facing awayfrom said flat wall when the enclosure is in the spool concealingposition, whereby the eccentricity of said projection automaticallycauses it to protrude out of said open side of the enclosure when theenclosure is rested on said flat wall.

2. The combination of elements set forth in claim 1, in which the spoolhub is hollow and the support for it comprises a spindle removablysupported between said vertical walls and adapted to pass through saidhollow hub.

3. The combination with a pair of dispensing spools of adhesive tapeeach comprising a hub and a tangential projection eccentric to the hubto support the free end of the tape, of a supporting enclosurecomprising a pair of parallel vertical walls, means carried by saidwalls for engaging the spool hubs to support the latter side by side inhorizontal alignment and for free independent rotation about their axes,transverse walls extending between said vertical walls to form anenclosure closed on all sides but one, the open side lying in a singleplane so that the enclosure may be rested thereon to conceal saidspools, the transverse wall adjacent to said open side being flat sothat the enclosure may be optionally rested on said flat wall to bringthe open side into upright position and thereby expose and afford accessto said spools, said spools being supported with their tangentialprojections downward and facing away from said flat wall when theenclosure is in the spool concealing position, whereby the eccentricityof said projections automatically causes them to protrude out of saidopen side of the enclosure when the enclosure is rested on said flatwall.

4. The combination of elements set forth in claim 3, in which the spoolhubs are hollow and the support for them comprises a spindle removablysupported between said vertical walls and having parts adapted to passthrough said hollow hubs, the spindle being provided with a flangebetween said parts adapted to maintain the spool hubs in separatedrelation.

5. The combination with a dispensing spool of adhesive tape comprising ahub, a tangential projection eccentric to the hub to support the freeend of the tape, and an abutment oppositely free rotation about itsaxis,

disposed with respect to said tangential projection, of a supportingenclosure comprising a pair of parallel vertical Walls, a spindlesupported between said vertical walls and adapted to pass through saidhub, said spindle being adapted to support said spool hub in ahorizontal direction and for free rotation about its axis, transversewalls extending between said vertical walls to form an enclosure closedon all sides but one, the open side lying in a single plane so that theenclosure may be rested thereon to conceal said spool, the transversewall adjacent to said open side being fiat so that the enclosure may beoptionally rested on said fiat wall to bring the open side into uprightposition and thereby expose and afford access to said spool, said spoolbeing supported with its tangential projection downward and facing awayfrom said fiat wall when the enclosure is in the spool concealingposition, whereby the eccentricity of said projection automaticallycauses it to turn about said spindle and to protrude out of said openside of the enclosure when the enclosure is rested on said flat wall,and said spindle being spaced from one of the other of said transversewalls a distance sufiicient to permit said abutment to engagethereagainst and to prevent a further turning of said tangentialprojection about said spindle.

HARVEY LATI-lROP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,186,685 Rydquist June 13, 1916 2,275,408 Alliss Mar. 10,1942 2,422,749 Rougas June 24, 1947

